1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cradle for use with a radiation conversion device for performing a charging process for a radiation conversion device, which is arranged in the vicinity of an image capturing apparatus for capturing a radiation image of a subject, the radiation conversion device detecting radiation that has passed through the subject and converting the radiation into image information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the medical field, a radiation image capturing apparatus, in which radiation is applied to a subject, and radiation that has passed through the subject is directed to a radiation conversion device for capturing a radiation image of the subject, has been widely used.
In this case, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-208306, a radiation conversion device (electronic cassette) is disclosed in which applied radiation is converted directly into electric signals, or after the radiation has been converted into visible light by a scintillator, a solid state detecting element made up from amorphous silicon or the like is used to convert the visible light into electric signals to enable reading thereof.
In the aforementioned radiation conversion device, a portable type of structure is known in which a battery is loaded. In this case, when the storage capacity of the internal battery is large, since the weight of the radiation conversion device increases, handling of the radiation conversion device becomes inconvenient. As a result, the storage capacity of the battery is restricted to enable a reduction in weight, whereas in the room where an image is to be captured, or in the vicinity thereof, a charging cradle is arranged, for carrying out charging of the battery at appropriate times.
Incidentally, in the case that a radiation image is captured, it is essential to properly confirm the relationship between the subject and the radiation conversion device that detects the radiation image. Further, for obtaining a desired radiation image, appropriate image capturing conditions corresponding to subject information, such as age, sex, physical attributes, etc., of the subject, must be set in order to capture the image. Normally, such subject information and image capturing conditions are set by a technician utilizing a console, which is arranged outside of the room in which the image is captured. In this case, when the subject information and image capturing conditions are set, and imaging is performed by carrying the radiation conversion device into a room where the image is captured, if the image capturing conditions cannot be confirmed at a location in the vicinity of the image capturing apparatus, there is a concern in that setting mistakes concerning the imaging region of the subject, or capturing mistaken images of the wrong subject, etc., are more likely to occur.
Consequently, for example, according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-000344, a configuration is proposed in which information of an examination plan, including the name of the subject, etc., are displayed on a monitor, which is disposed together with a medical diagnostic apparatus arranged in the room where the image is to be captured, whereby the technician and the subject can confirm such displayed content.
In this case, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-000344, when a detector corresponding to the radiation conversion device is integrated with the medical diagnostic apparatus, since the subject can be confirmed according to the subject information displayed on the monitor, no special consideration needs to be given to the relationship between the subject and the medical diagnostic apparatus, and a desired radiation image of the subject can clearly be captured by the medical diagnostic apparatus.
Notwithstanding, in the case of a portable type of radiation conversion device, since a multiplicity of radiation conversion devices may exist for one subject, if the relationship between the subject and each radiation conversion device is not properly confirmed, a possibility exists that a mistaken radiation image of the subject will be captured. Further, setting of appropriate image capturing conditions for capturing the radiation image, as well as recording of the radiation image of the imaged subject, tends to be difficult.